The effects of corticosteroids on cytokine production from asthma lung lymphocytes

Kaur, M; Reynolds, S; Smyth, LJC; Simpson, K; Hall, S; Singh, D

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Lymphocytes play a central role in the pathophysiology of asthma. Corticosteroids have a limited effect in severe asthma and we hypothesise that lymphocytes play a central role in corticosteroid insensitivity. We investigated the effects of corticosteroids on cytokine production from lung lymphocytes obtained from patients with moderate severe asthma (MSA) compared to mild asthma (MA) and healthy non-smokers (HNS).

METHODS

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells obtained by bronchoscopy from patients with MSA and MA (n = 11 and n = 14 respectively) and HNS (n = 7) were stimulated with CD2/3/28 beads to activate the lymphocytes, in the presence or absence of dexamethasone (0.01-1 μM). Supernatants were assayed for IL-2, IFNγ, IL-17, IL-13 and IL-10 production.

RESULTS

Dexamethasone caused variable inhibition of cytokines; 1 μM inhibited IL-10 and IL-17 by 50% or lower, while inhibition > 50% was observed for IL-2, IL-13 and IFNγ. The effect of dexamethasone on IL-13 production was reduced in MSA.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the production of specific lymphocyte derived cytokines is poorly suppressed by corticosteroids in MSA, which may be responsible for persistent airway inflammation in these patients

Citation

Kaur, M., Reynolds, S., Smyth, L., Simpson, K., Hall, S., & Singh, D. (2014). The effects of corticosteroids on cytokine production from asthma lung lymphocytes. International Immunopharmacology, 23(2), 581-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2014.10.008

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: May 15, 2015
• Journal: International immunopharmacology
• Print ISSN: 1567-5769
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 581-4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2014.10.008
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2014.10.008